Matthew Craig/The Commercial Appeal
Chris Smith, 38, has been collecting Star Wars items since he was 8, the year after the movie was released.
Since his first encounter with the Incredible Hulk on television at the age of 7, Darin Clifft of Bartlett has been a devout fan and collector of Hulk memorabilia, which lines the walls of his home office from floor to ceiling.Kyle KurlickSpecial to The Commercial Appeal
Thomas Busler/The Commercial Appeal
Marc Kamler has a room in his Nesbit home dedicated to his monster/horror film action figure collection. He's holding Hannibal Lecter from "The Silence of the Lambs."
Matthew Craig/The Commercial Appeal
"I'd have three times as much if I hadn't sold some of it," says Chris Smith of his 383-piece Star Wars collection.
It has been said that the only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys, but for some, price takes a back seat to passion.
"For guys, collecting is always about going back to the nostalgia of childhood," said Darin Clifft, a math teacher at Memphis University School, whose home office in Bartlett is lined from floor to ceiling with Incredible Hulk action figures, comic books and other toys.
"There's something about childhood we want to hold onto," Clifft said. "With women, (collecting) is about growing out of that awkward phase to something more grown up. Guys want to hold onto being a kid."
Clifft, 37, proudly displays all things Hulk, including water guns, backpacks, salt-and-pepper shakers, shower curtains and even a Hulk-themed Christmas tree. In all, he owns more than 50 action figures and 300 comic books in a collection he holds dearest after God, family and friends.
Ten dollars is his limit for any one item, so most pieces came from toy stores and big-box retailers. His most-prized item is an autographed photo with "The Incredible Hulk" television star Lou Ferrigno, taken at a Chicago convention in 1999.
The walls of his toy room are painstakingly organized in a 3-D checkerboard of action figures and comic books.
"You can't be a good math teacher and not be obsessive-compulsive," said Clifft.
"I was 6 years old, in the first grade, when the Hulk came on TV," said Clifft. "I was always a good student, but I started coming home with N's in conduct because I was making Hulk noises at school."
Describing himself as someone who's "not prone to anger," Clifft sees the Hulk as his alter-ego -- a Mr. Hyde to his Dr. Jekyll.
"The Hulk can just let loose with his rage whenever he feels like it," he said. "There's some freedom there."
Chris Smith, 38, is a collector of all things related to Star Wars.
As a child, he begged his mother to let him see the PG-rated "Star Wars" movie with his aunt.
"I was 7 when the original movie came out," said Smith. "From then on, everything was different. Pretty soon, I had everything."
Smith's bedroom and a spare room in his Berclair home are lined with bleacher-like display stands, where most of his 383 action figures reside.
Overhead, limited-edition character busts, some costing $50, line shelves. A Millennium Falcon hangs from the ceiling, and an R2-D2 drink cooler stands by his bed.
"Sometimes you get tired of it and think about how much you've spent," said Smith. "I'd have three times as much if I hadn't sold some of it. Finally, I admitted to myself that I'm a collector -- that's what I am."
Smith has Darth Vader and Boba Fett tattoos, and owns a cat named Luke Skywalker, but his plans to completely integrate Star Wars into his life don't end there.
"My girlfriend's aware of this. ... If I have a son, I've already got his named picked out -- Anakin," said Smith, referring to the name of the Star Wars character who morphs into Darth Vader.
Marc Kamler, of Hernando, who collects monster figures, said grown-up collectors have to have an understanding with their families.
"My wife and sons are OK with it, but when relatives are over, the (collection room) door stays shut," said Kamler, 37.
Kamler's home office houses more than 500 figures from multiple horror and fantasy genre comics and movies, including Spawn, Evil Ernie, Freddie Krueger, Warcraft and Hellboy. His office in the risk management department of Harrah's Casino Hotels is also a mini-horror museum.
"It's kind of funny. I've got Pinhead, Jason and Michael Myers figures there, and some people will come in and not notice. But others will say: 'Next time, why don't you come down to my office?' And that works for me," Kamler said.
He started collecting while he worked at KB Toys, where "half the paycheck went to using my employee discount."
Much of his collection still comes from large retailers ("Every trip to Wal-Mart, I have to go down the toy aisle"), as well as Spencer Gifts and Hastings.
Kamler's trophies include a 2-foot-tall, limited-edition model of the fire demon Balrog, from the "Lord of the Rings" series, and two Death Dealer statues that were hand-painted by the son of Frank Frazetta, the original artist.
Kamler owns about 500 figures and has no idea how much he has spent, but the least expensive pieces cost about $10.
"Do the math, and that's quite a figure on the low end," Kamler said.
Clifft and Smith labeled themselves "nerd" and "geek," respectively, but Kamler called himself an "addict," saying that once a collector goes this far, there's no good way to stop.
Clifft, though, put his toys into a larger perspective.
"I have fun with it, and I particularly enjoy it since I've got friends and family who see the Hulk and think of me," said Clifft.
"But if I had to tear it all down, it's not as important to me as a friend."